Update: I was unfortunately not aware of Shamus Young's severe criticism of Fallout 3 available here to link in the original piece and I regret that. It dovetails rather nicely with what I've written and it's much better executed than my piece. I strongly recommend anyone...

OVERVIEW
Protect America from enemy forces in urban and rural warfare throughout
the world in
SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs, exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer
entertainment
system. The sequel to the more than one million unit selling SOCOM:
U.S. Navy SEALs
is back with new gameplay, chat functionality, mission types, weapons
and more.

Featuring the most realistic SEAL gameplay and mission designs of any
military shooter,
players will again be able to play and communicate online in a competitive
environment
using online broadband or LAN play through all new combat environments
and maps. In
addition to demolition, suppression and extraction (hostage rescue),
new mission types
such as escort and breach are available in the online mode. Teamwork
is crucial and
players can communicate real-time either in the game lobby or in online
play using a
SOCOM headset or USB headset (for PlayStation 2) and view the “who’s
talking
display.” Players can create customized games or join one according
to their rank,
assuring compatible skill-level in online play. Missions take place
in both urban and
rural settings, in various weather conditions and during different times
of the day. Many
environments also include vehicles like T72 tanks, Apache helicopters
and weapon
emplacements including machine gun and grenade turrets.

In single-player mode, SOCOM II places you in the role of an elite SEAL
commander
whose team’s orders are simple – strike targets of importance
within 12 all new intense
international missions ranging from Algeria and Albania to Brazil and
Russia. Utilizing
the best weaponry, technology and training available, players will battle
through new
terrain and urban environments and can accept no outcome but victory.

As the team commander, players must instruct their team on a mission,
either through
voice recognition technology (with a SOCOM headset or USB headset (for
PlayStation
2), or via on-screen commands. Players actualize the mission with their
SEAL team
through authoritative commands that will control the player’s
AI teammates, who will
respond and follow orders appropriately. Players will also be able to
confront the enemy
in collaboration with various international special forces like the
British SAS and the
Russian Spetznaz.

KEY FEATURES

•SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs is the sequel to the number one online
console game.

•Lead your SEAL team in single player mode, or exchange fire with
up to 16 total
players via enhanced online broadband or new LAN play – with five
mission types,
rank insignias, friends’ and ignore lists, clan ladder rankings,
detailed player statistics
and the ability to call in air strikes.

•Online broadband gameplay supports up to 16 players (eight per
team) and up to eight
spectators can observe the fast-paced action.

•Battle the world’s terrorists in 12 intense, richly detailed
single-player missions, or in
12 new multiplayer operations in Brazil, Russia, Albania and Algeria.
The 10 original
SOCOM multiplayer missions are also playable online and are enhanced
and updated.

•Two new mission types, Breach and Escort, are available in the
online mode in
addition to the Demolition, Extraction (Hostage Rescue), and Suppression
challenges.

•Confront deadly enemies with the most skilled Special Ops force
ever assembled,
including collaboration with (Russian) Spetznaz and (British) SAS groups.

•All new communication (voice and text chat) improvements to on
and offline modes
including voice alteration to deliver the most dynamic and interactive
gameplay on
any console.

•A SOCOM headset or USB headset (for PlayStation 2) can be used
to communicate
verbally with fellow team members during online games, either in game
or in the
main lobby. You can also use sub-channels for offense and defense in
order to more
easily communicate with your teammates, including an all new “who’s
talking”
display.

•Various difficulty levels will provide challenging single-player
gameplay to all
gamers. In online play, choose to join a rank-specific or open game
to play with
those of similar skill levels.

•More than 15 new weapons include the AT-4, RPGs, handguns, assault
rifles, sniper
rifles, shotguns, sub-machine guns, machine guns, grenades, laser designators,
explosives, anti-personnel mines and a new nightvision interface. Weapons
are
realistic in their accuracy and are affected by movement and weapon
recoil.

•Missions take place in both urban and rural settings, in various
weather conditions
and during different times of the day. Many environments also include
enemy
vehicles like T72 tanks and Little Bird helicopters.